Q. In the laboratory how is a soxhlet apparatus used?

Answer

The ethanol used in the Soxhlet apparatus procedure is brought to a boil (>78 °C) in the laboratory. The condenser unit prevents the ethanol from escaping the device however it is nevertheless recommended to use a fume hood just in case. When the solution in the thimble-holder reaches the overflow level a siphon draws it up and empties it back into the distillation flask. The extracted solutes are transported into the bulk liquid by this solution. In a distillation process the solute is left in the flask while the solvent is recycled to the sample bed. Most efforts to isolate polyphenolic chemicals from their natural environments make use of either Soxhlet apparatus or solid-liquid extraction (SLE) using organic solvents as both methods are both straightforward and provide high-quality extracts.